


Space Echo

by EidolonLathi



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 08:08:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24966496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EidolonLathi/pseuds/EidolonLathi
Summary: After spending nearly twenty years on earth, going shopping for groceries has become an unspectacular everyday chore for Zim. But the very thing managing to break his routine is an unexpected meeting in the parking lot of his favourite grocery store. Dib agrees, although for different reasons.
Relationships: Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Space Echo

Zim leaned over the open trunk of his CAR, putting in the groceries. Potato chips and soda for GIR, toast for himself (not that he needed to eat lowly earthly food, but toasted bread had the decency to not upset his stomach, so Zim allowed it to give him some nutrition) and the main reason he had decided to go to the store today: Tooth paste and bathroom cleaner. Both didn’t reach the efficiency of their Irken equivalent but to tell the truth: Ordering every last product he needed for his daily life from Space Shopping often wasn’t worth the hassle, so unless he had a bigger order to make settling for earth products had proven to be simply more practical.

It was one of those conclusions he had reached during the time he had spent on earth now. Especially since his mission had turned out to be more time intense than initially assumed. Yes, in the end everything had turned out to need a little bit more time than first assumed, he thought, remembering his last call with the Tallest. Trying to suppress a heavy feeling threatening to spread through his chest, he closed the trunk, putting back the shopping cart before he would leave.

He had almost reached his CAR again, when a voice reached his ears, its timbre freezing him into place before his brain had gotten back the concentration to decipher the words. An alarmed confusion settled into his mind. Forcing himself out of his stupor again he turned around, more a reaction of alert, should he be forced to defend himself, than because he wanted to confirm his suspicion.

“Zim? Is… is that you? You’re Zim, aren’t you?”

The first thought entering Zim’s mind was, how tall the person talking to him had gotten. Even taller than since he had last seen him in hi skool. But then, now he was thinking about it, that was about to be expected: The father of the Dib-human had been a tall man too. And one of the things Zim had learned spending some years on earth had been, that in the majority of cases “children” resembled the appearance of their “parents”. Yes, human reproduction was so different from the Irken one, but it was one of those facts he had learned by now. Tall parents tended to produce tall offspring.

The Dib-human turning out so tall was something he should have expected. But still, having to look up this much to meet the eyes of his old arch enemy felt strange, felt even stranger than realizing the Dib-human’s face was showing clear signs of aging since the last time they had seen each other. (Humans aged so fast, Zim understood and yet still couldn’t comprehend.)

Sensing no trace of hostility in the Dib-human’s voice or face, Zim finally managed to break out of his stupor. “I’m… I am Zim.”

“Zim! You… Where have you… Nice to see you”, Dib said, seemingly growing tense now the surprise was starting to leave him. His hand was holding a small plastic grocery bag in a tight grip, clinging to it.

“Zim is here. Zim needed to buy groceries”, Zim said, stating the obvious, immediately feeling stupid for voicing out this banality.

“Where have you been?” The free hand of Dib shoved up his shirtsleeve even further, obviously feeling hot having to wear this clothing type called “suit” on a hot summer day like this. Especially now he was out of the air-conditioned coolness of the store. “You just disappeared after we graduated hi skool. I eventually assumed you had just left again for your home pla… that you had just returned home again.”

“Zim didn’t leave for his old home, no. Zim simply was busy with urgent matters that forced me to leave the banality that was hi skool.”

“You left without a word”, Dib repeated, a resigned shadow descending over his eyes Zim couldn’t place. The emotion was restrained, contained, holding back something stronger simmering underneath that was impossible to decipher.

A confused type of alarm insisted staying with Zim. It was just too odd. Not just this sudden meeting, seeing the Dib-human act this collected felt so odd. In Zim’s memories, Dib’s emotions were direct and authentic, carried with an impulsivity that matched his own.

But these memories were older than a decade, solidly so. It was an amount of time in which humans were prone to change their behaviour, sometimes quite drastically so. They called it “maturing”, a term Zim still wasn’t quite sure how to use, sometimes even failed to understand in context. It was so different from the Irken way that expected everyone to adjust early, and by nature or design, was fated to stay stable, even when wandering off from these desired paths, he thought, the sudden memory of Tak entering his mind. Tak who had clung to her wish for revenge so resolutely, the event only having gained significance in memory, with time passing by, when realizing how much it was differentiating from the human norm.

Humans were a race fated to change, drastically so, and the irony was that they didn’t even realize it.

Yes, humans tended to change fast and right in front of his eyes was standing the proof.

Attempting to gain some degree of control back over the situation, Zim shrugged his shoulders, taking a step back so that looking up into the eyes of the Dib felt less exhausting: “Zim’s mission is one of utmost importance. Back then, orders had arrived that needed me to act quickly: My Tallest needed me in another place of this dirty rock we’re standing on.”

“Without a word.”

“Very urgently. Very quickly.”

Dib took a sigh, eyes widening in frustration. Zim expected him to press on further (younger Dib would have done so, never one to simply let go on a subject he deemed important), but instead a bitter smile devoid of any happiness showed up on his face: “You’re still here to invade this planet then?”

“Nothing in the long-term plans of the Irken Empire has changed. Zim’s mission is one of utmost importance. My presence in this area is needed and desired.”

Dib paused, the smile on his face disappearing. “My, isn’t that annoying. And here I thought I could afford to relax during this summer, for a change. But does that mean I have no choice but to intervene with your plans again?”

The earlier feeling of a heavy weight settling in on Zim’s chest returned, despite its familiarity almost managing to knock the breath out of him. “Foolish human! No amount of your attempts of interference will ever manage to stop Zim!” Putting out his CAR keys of his jeans pocket for the sole sake of giving his hands something to do, Zim continued: “The thought of having to deal with your disturbances that will attempt to nothing annoys me though. So, little human, don’t waste your energy: Urgent as my mission is, the date of the invasion isn’t close at all. You can spend your filthy “summer” relaxing all you want.”

Dib nodded, for some odd reason not looking surprised at all. He took the suit jacket he was carrying in his arm, folding it together more neatly. “I’m tempted to do so.”

“A wise decision. Be tempted then.”

Hearing this Dib huffed, absentmindedly so.

Zim tightened the grip on his CAR keys, feeling devoid of any words.

A part of him expected once again for the Dib-human to keep pressing on the matter. That’s why Dib’s next words arrived with surprise. “So. You’re grocery shopping then. You live around here, or something?”

“Well…”

“Your old base disappeared together with you as well. If you didn’t return to your old home, then you must have a place you’re staying somewhere around this area.”

Well. It was not like confirming the obvious would be able to do much harm: “Let’s say this is a place Zim comes over for grocery shopping often.”

“To think this entire time you were only some miles away. If only… and yet…”, Dib trailed off, sounding like he wasn’t fully aware he was talking out aloud.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Dib shook his head, the gloomy shadow hanging over his eyes slowly getting clearer. “Explains it then though. Why we haven’t run into each other earlier. I… I only moved into this area recently.”

“Oh.”

“Into a place nearer to work. I grew tired needing so much time to commute.”

“Oh.”

“Together with a friend. I mean, I have a roommate.”

“Oh!” Zim felt his mind race, desperate to find something to say. It was all so odd. Was he really standing on the parking lot of his favourite supermarket and talking with the Dib-human? Having met him just like that, out of nowhere? It really was the Dib! He had grown and had aged the amount of time they both had been apart and was wearing one of those “suits”, but it was really the Dib! And now he was talking something about roommates. Roommates, right, that was a subject Zim could add to: “Roommate! GIR! I still have GIR as my servant and loyal companion on earth, I mean.”

“GIR. So, he’s still around.” The last bit of harshness disappeared from the edges of Dib’s voice, making room for something warmer Zim couldn’t place: “Your GIR then. How is he doing?”

“Fine? I mean, GIR is GIR, he eats snacks and sometimes cooks snacks himself. He got himself a pet bunny. Not as a snack, just as a pet, for company. Company! GIR is Zim’s loyal servant, a vital part in my important mission! Vital, do you hear me!?”

A small smile showed up on Dib’s face and this time it was completely genuine. “I’m glad he’s doing fine.”

“He is. Zim is a reliable master, ensuring his servant is feeling content and gets treated fairly. Vital for the mission!”

Zim wanted to say more but got interrupted by a woman bringing her shopping cart back to the collection point, forcing him to move aside.

Dib moved out of the way himself, starting to look self-conscious. “Looks like we’re getting in the way.”

“Foolishness! Shopping carts pale in comparison of gaining information about my arch rival!”

Hearing this Dib’s eyes widened, unable to hide his surprise. Though for what reason he was feeling surprised, Zim couldn’t fathom. “About that…” Dib turned his head, looking Zim directly into the eyes: “I live close by. Want to come over for a …” Dib looked at the plastic bag in his hands, continuing with a voice more stable: “Want to come over for a soda or something? You can drink soda, right?”

An invitation?! Was this a reason for concern, a hidden plan of the Dib? “I… Soda I can drink. As long as it hasn’t got any of this caffeine.”

“I have those without caffeine with me. Melon flavour and citrus flavour.”

“I’m here with my CAR.”

“I live near by. We have a parking spot that is free for guests.”

“Zim might be out grocery shopping but Zim isn’t defenceless. Zim is always ready to fend off any human overstepping boundaries.”

“I would have assumed so.” Another of those absentminded smiles showed up on Dib’s face, despite their genuine nature letting his eyes appear sadder than any of the glares he had shown: “I really would have assumed so.”

The home of the Dib really was located quite nearby, a flat in a middle sized apartment complex not even three blocks away. But it was three blocks away from the main road, so once they had reached the parking spot it had grown a lot quieter compared to the lively place the supermarket was located in. An area full of small family houses with little gardens and some apartment blocks. The kind of area where humans preferred to raise their offspring, as far as Zim could tell.

They ended up taking a seat at the kitchen table in Dib’s apartment, glasses filled with brightly coloured soda standing between them. Dib opened a pack of chocolate coated rice crackers (one of the few local things Zim was able to eat without problems since arriving on this planet – Dib still remembered?!), putting them in the middle of their improvised snack feast. “Sorry, I hope it’s alright if we settle down here in the kitchen. With Desmond and me sharing this place, we don’t really have a living room. And in this heat, this place here is the coolest in the entire flat. At least until the air condition we want to get has been installed. Well”, Dib elaborated. It took Zim a moment to understand he had been babbling with nerves, the realization making him feel sorry instantly.

“This place is perfectly fine with Zim. As you said, it’s cool in here”, he said, taking a chocolate rice cracker to emphasize his point.

Hearing this a tension fell from Dib’s body. Which was weird; this was his place and Zim the one invited. “The guy installing the air conditioning is supposed to show up next week sometime.”

“I see.”

“Desmond and I decided moving into this place because it’s so spacious. But also, with us sharing this flat, we don’t really have a real living room or anything.”

“Zim understands.” Taking a sip from his soda (melon flavoured) he continued, despite the slight hesitation building up in his mind: “So, does this mean than that your Desmond and you are not forming a living unit because you happen to be a romantic unit also?”

Zim needed to ask, for clarification. To not make an accidental blunder or the like: No matter how much time he had spent on earth already, the finer details of the romantic connections humans tended to form still managed to confuse him. The importance put on these connections also. There also existed bonds of love between Irkens, but the emphasis on them was less heavy. It always was supposed to be understood that no matter what, the wellbeing of the empire came first. Bonds between individuals was something happening on the side of this.

Hearing the question Dib blushed, an embarrassed smile appearing on his face: “We’re just friends.”

“So, that’s how it is.”

“Well.” Dib adjusted his glasses, pushing them upwards. “That’s how it is.”

Making an agreeing sound Zim continued sipping his soda.

He hadn’t even consciously been looking for distraction when his attention got caught by a photography pinned to the fridge with a magnet. Zim pointed at it: “The Dib-human and his father, the Membrane-human!”

Dib turned around, towards the fridge. “Oh. Oh, yes, this. We took that one picture recently. When I went visiting Dad for Father’s Day.”

“I know about father’s day. You humans have days celebrating the existence of your two biological source elements.”

Hearing this Dib had to laugh. “That’s one way to express it, I guess. Either way, we made a barbecue in his garden on that day.”

“So, the Dib-human’s father is doing fine, it seems. What about the Dib-human’s sister? How’s Gaz?”

The smile fell away from Dib’s face, making Zim instantly regret he had asked the question. Obviously it had been the wrong one. “Gaz is doing well. I guess.”

Dib guessed? “Oh.”

“Yes.”

Zim only nodded, afraid to say any more. He held Dib’s gaze, feeling as if he was shrinking under the weight of it. He wouldn’t ask any more about this subject.

Dib huffed, looking to the side. Away from Zim, away from the fridge. “I haven’t really seen her in a while.”

“Alright.”

“I don’t want to see her!”

“Okay.”

No longer making an attempt to stop the frown appearing on his face, Dib took his glass filled with soda, taking a long sip. A very long sip.

Beginning to feel crushed under the silence Zim went on talking, despite a part in him insisting not pressing on the matter would be the best decision: “Zim was only asking because amongst humans it seems to be common to keep seeing your siblings, even when no longer sharing the same living space.”

“Oh, leave me alone with this siblings nonsense! I don’t care what I’m “supposed” to do, I don’t want to see her!”

“Good.”

“I was telling that Dad too! But he didn’t want to listen! He wanted me to come along on Christmas, when he was going to visit her. But I didn’t go.” Dib turned his gaze around, looking at Zim. There was still fresh anger flickering behind his eyes, but it was not an anger directed at Zim. But something simmering, an emotion deeply rooted in something old and hidden. Something so old that Zim could remember having seen traces of it when the two of them had still went to skool and later, to hi skool together. “I just don’t want to see her anymore. That is all! I’m leaving her alone, I’m not bothering her! What’s so wrong with it?”, Dib said.

Zim nodded, not knowing what to say. He guessed the bond between the Dib-human and his sibling had never been one filled with much harmony. “Zim wouldn’t know what’s wrong with it. Zim still has problems understanding human relations and behaviour at times.”

The sentence seemed to have broken Dib out of his upset. He took a long sigh, the fresh hurt in his eyes starting to crumble. “Lucky you. It’s not worth the bother.”

“In need to understand and learn though. For the mission.”

Dib’s face went blank and the next moment he was laughing. The slightly shrill kind he would sometimes let hear to mask an emotion he was feeling embarrassed about. Or at least, that’s the kind of laugh he had used to show during such circumstance when they still had been in hi skool together. “Your mission. Of course.”

“Gathering information is most vital at the moment. The Tallest expect me to send in my reports on a regular basis.”

“They want you to send in reports?”, Dib asked, voice sounding more collected again.

Zim folded his arms in front of his chest. “As an invader I’m good at writing reports. It’s one of the tasks necessary when preparing invasion.”

“Of course it is.” The sentence had been spoken almost affectionately. Dib’s mood swings seemed to be gone for good, replaced with something warmer settling in behind his eyes – A spark that already had been present on the parking lot of the grocery store, now growing in intensity, as if the cool safety of this kitchen was giving it the needed space to develop safely.

Beginning to feel exposed in an odd way he couldn’t put into words, Zim drank more of his melon soda. “Don’t you need to write reports when doing your paramount research stuff?”

“Paranormal research stuff.”

“Whatever. The thingummy you do.”

“The thingummy I used to do when I was younger.”

Hearing this Zim tilted his head in confusion. Wasn’t this paranormal stuff the occupation the Dib-human had aimed to do when grown up?

“You weren’t really thinking I’m into paranormal research at the moment, weren’t you?”, Dib asked, guessing Zim’s thoughts correctly.

“Wasn’t that your dream?”

“Dream. It’s hardly the kind of thing you can do for a living.”

“The Dib-human is doing real science then?” To be fair, that one seemed to offer more options of occupation, now Zim thought about it. It certainly had kept the father of the Dib steadily busy.

“Neither.” Dib shrugged his shoulders, face turning unreadable. “I’m working at an enterprise that is designing and developing kitchen technology. I develop kitchens.”

Zim went silent, taking a look around the room they were sitting in. “People need kitchens. In their home and... uh... at skool and stuff like that too, I guess. It’s vital for people to eat.”

“I’m glad you think that way.” There had been an odd resignation in Dib’s voice, as if he was waiting for something more to come. As if he was used for something more to come, at this specific point in conversation.

Zim still felt oddly confused. The Dib-human had always been one difficult to predict, no matter how carefully Zim tried to read him. “Paranormial research is something you do as a hobby then?”

Dib shrugged his shoulders, avoiding Zim’s eyes before grimacing absentmindedly. “Sometimes still. When I have the time for it. A bit, yes.”

Despite Dib firmly looking to the side, Zim refused to stop looking at his face. His eyes were so captivating, the colour of them. Dark brown when the light wasn’t so bright, and now that the warm light of evening was arriving, turning into a bright brown that was almost golden. Like liquid gold. Yes, the colour of the Dib-humans eyes were behaving as ever, despite him having grown so much taller, despite him looking so unfamiliar in this “suit” uniform, despite his glasses having frames looking so differently than the ones he had worn during hi skool.

A noise interrupted their silence. The sound of a key turning in the look of the flat’s front door.

Dib sat up, straightening his back: “That will be Desmond.”

Of course he would be. The Dib had mentioned before that his company would return anytime soon now.

“I’m home.”

“Hi.”

Steps coming closer to the kitchen.

Dib leaned towards the door: “I’m having a guest over.”

“A guest”, the voice belonging to this Desmond-human said, the owner of said voice apparently coming closer.

A shape appeared at the frame of the door, dark eyes looking at Zim: “I’m Desmond, hi.”

“Tall! So outstandingly tall! I mean, hello, I am Zim!” Zim cursed himself inwardly, realizing his surprise had gotten the better of him before he had managed to prevent himself voicing it out aloud. But it was the truth! This Desmond-human was so tall! In the years Zim had spent on earth, he had now gotten a solid idea what the average height of humans were supposed to be, and what counted as a height significantly under or over the norm. And the man standing in front of him was not only tall, he was huge, easily reaching 2 meters and more!

Desmond came to a halt, shortly hesitating before entering the room. There was a subtly sceptical gleam flickering up behind his eyes, indicating Zim’s impulsive comment had hit a sensitive spot.

He probably already hated him, great. An obviously important friend Dib had in the present and Zim had managed to butcher his first impression.

“We know each other from way before hi skool”, Dib cheerily explained, addressing Desmond, nothing in his demeanour giving away he had noticed the soured atmosphere trying to insert itself between his roommate and Zim.

“Hi skool, huh.” Desmond entered the room, needing to bow down under the doorframe to do so. The scepticism in his eyes had disappeared, through if due to conscious effort or genuine feeling, Zim could not say. Desmond continued his way towards the fridge, taking out some leftovers he put into the microwave.

“Hi skool, yes”, Dib confirmed, taking the bottle of soda standing on the table, refilling Zim’s and his respective glasses. “We ran into each other by chance. Turned out we ended up living in the same area.”

Desmond nodded, taking out his dinner the microwave had announced to be ready with the “ping” sound so typical to this specific sort of device. “I doubt I’m going to run into any one of my old skoolmates any time soon.” He turned his head, looking at Zim. “Finished skool way up north. Moved here soon after that.”

Dib nodded. “We met at the planetarium club in town. They meet every last Saturday of the month.”

“They do.” Desmond put his plate on a tray, together with cutlery and something to drink, getting on his way out of the kitchen, towards what must be his room. “Have fun catching up”, he said, turning around one last time before disappearing out of sight for good.

Zim felt his gaze wander towards the fridge. Next to the photo of Dib and his Dad there were pictures of Dib and Desmond. On all of them the Desmond was already wearing that moustache on his upper lip he had been wearing now. Zim didn’t get facial hair. At all. Like, the Desmond couldn’t be any older than Dib, seemed to be even a bit younger, but that upperlip fuzz made him look older than he actually must have been. His height, funnily, didn’t add to an impression of higher age at all. None of the photos on the kitchen door gave away any indication of the Desmond’s full height though, Zim thought, turning his head towards Dib, continuing with their conversation.

That was one of those terms Zim couldn’t quite place in the human context too, “conversation”. As far as he was concerned, he and the Dib were simply talking. First a bit more about this planetary club -those existed on Irk as well, though with somewhat different purpose- then some more about this very area Dib had freshly moved in: As Zim being more familiar with it, he was able to give out some useful information. Like where the best washing salon of the area was located (Irken technology was vastly superior when it came to cleaning clothes. But you could bet the washing device would have problems the exact moment Zim needed to wash a specific piece of clothing he’d need urgently) or where you could get the best take away food (Zim’s stomach was still too sensitive for those in most cases, because they tended to be too fatty, but GIR loved them.)

Otherwise they were just talking about stuff.

Zim realized that quite some time must have passed when the Dib started yawning. Right, humans needed to sleep after all. And a look out of the window confirmed that it had gotten dark outside. Mumbling an explanation Zim announced it was now time for him to return home.

Hearing this Dib wasn’t able to hide his disappointment: “Already?

Zim paused, taken aback by the strong sentiment of reluctance the Dib had carried in his voice.

Already, Zim confirmed, instantly met with Dib’s suggestions the two of them could meet up again soon. Zim agreed, to his own surprise realizing he was already looking forward to it. And that though he hadn’t been out of the door yet.

When they opened the front door, they were met with the sight and sound of rain falling. Until now neither of them had noticed the weather had changed this drastically.

Zim hesitated. The outdoor hallway leading to the stairs had a roof, and from then of the way to his CAR would be a short one. “Looks like I better hurry then.”

Dib’s eyes widened in protest. “Wait, you can’t seriously plan stepping out into the rain like this! Wait a second, I’ll get an umbrella”, he said, turning around and opening a closet standing next to the entrance, getting out an umbrella. He turned his head, looking down at Zim. “Now we’re ready! I’ll bring you to your car!”

“That’s... thank you. But you don’t have to.”

Dib shook his head, starting to walk down the hallway, gesturing for Zim to come along. “It’s nothing. You mustn’t get wet.”

Oh. So that’s what the Dib was worried about. But then, he didn’t know the latest turn of events in that matter, Zim thought, setting himself into motion, catching up with the Dib walking next to him. “It’s no longer a problem though.”

Dib opened the umbrella, leading them both down the stairs. “It isn’t?”

“No. Turned out the reason I got hurt by water isn’t a normal reaction for Irkens to have at all.”

“It isn’t?”

“No. Turned out it’s some kind of disease after all. There’s medication for it. Since I started taking it, rain can’t hurt me any longer!”

Having reached the car they both came to a halt. Dib was still holding the umbrella over the both of them, minding it was covering Zim to a full extent. In the darkness only the orange light of a street lantern made the concentrated expression on Dib’s face visible. “But... that’s great!”

“Well, I’m certainly not complaining.”

“I’m glad you found a solution for that.”

“When the nature of my condition got found out, the Tallest themselves ensured I would get sent the medication I need!”

“Oh.”

“They care! My good health is vital for this mission! Vital, do you hear!? And now I’m getting my medication sent to earth regularly.”

“I’m glad that’s taken care off.”

They were still both standing under the umbrella. Dib was still making sure it covered Zim fully, his left arm slightly getting wet, not really being covered.

Zim held Dib’s gaze. “You remembered water used to be a problem. Thank you for trying to help.”

“It’s nothing”, Dib mumbled, his words barely understandable, the sound of rain almost managing to swallow them.

Zim got out his CAR keys. “Well, I’m on my way then. GIR is waiting for me.”

“Say hello to him from me.”

“I will do this.”

“Maybe next time we meet he can tag along? If he wants to, I mean.”

Zim felt himself freeze. Next time they met, huh? So the Dib really wanted there to be a next time too? “I’m going to ask him.”

“Please do.”

With this Zim got into his car. While he was doing so, Dib was still holding the umbrella over Zim, protecting him from the rain.

The drive home felt very dark and very damp, the heat of the day erased fully by the rainy weather.

* * *

Dib stood at the sink, washing the dishes. It wasn’t that much. Only the two glasses they had used and the plates the snacks had been on. But it had been dishes he was responsible for and he wanted them to be done with now.

A door opened, steps entering the room, the sound of the fridge being opened. “Has your friend gone home?”

“Friend”, huh? That’s the impression Desmond had gotten. Not acquaintance, old skool buddy or the like, but “friend”.

Dib turned around, drying his hands on a tea towel. “Zim just left.”

“In this rain.”

“He was here by car.”

“Thought so.” Desmond opened the snack he had taken out of the fridge, a chocolaty thing with lots of caramel and cream. The kind of dessert Dib found way too sweet to enjoy. But now that he thought about it, it looked like the kind of dessert GIR would have loved.

Desmond took a bite of his chocolate-caramel dessert, looking thoughtful. “Your friend is nice. I mean, right after he stopped being kind of rude.”

Dib folded the tea towel he was holding in his hand together more neatly. That comment had been predictable. There was one subject Desmond felt insecure and sensitive about, and it was his height. It being the thing about him most difficult to ignore, it usually ended up as an attacking vector if someone decided they had a problem with him and wanted to let him know.

Dib looked him in the eyes: “I guess that’s how Zim comes across at times. Sometimes he can be a bit impulsive.”

Taking another bite of his chocolate Desmond nodded, looking appeased. “I mean, I it’s not like I wanted to complain. He seems to be alright, overall. He must be, if you’re friends with him.”

Dib unfolded the tea towel, just to fold it neatly together again. “Back then, he moved to the place I grew up at right before middle skool started.”

Desmond nodded, continuing to eat his dessert.

Having reached a decision Dib continued talking. There was no way he could reveal Zim was an alien, but at the same time he needed to tell a version that was close enough to the truth. In case everything went as desired and there really would be a next time he and Zim met up: “I guess it wasn’t an easy time for him. You know, he grew up in a cult. Got even born into it. He got out of it right before being old enough for middle skool and then started visiting public skool for the first time in his life, joining our class.”

“A cult?” Desmond’s eyes widened in shock.

Dib nodded, continuing: “Before he got away from it, he had only little contact to the outside world. You could tell he tried fitting in, but you know how kids are: People noticed he was different and let him know.”

“Sounds tough.” Desmond’s gaze had gotten distant, as being lost in thought. “Kids that age can be monsters.” He looked at Dib, the expression in his eyes getting focused again. “And you were there, sticking up for him?”

Dib felt his face getting red. “No. I was one of those making things harder for him. We started getting along later, but in the beginning it was a mess.” Despite the story Dib had just told being full of lies and half-truths, he realized that the shame he was feeling now was very real. After all that was one of the truths, back in the day he had made it his mission to make Zim’s life harder. Sure, at the time there had also been the factor of wanting to protect the earth from invasion… but had that really been all? Hadn’t that been a convenient front to hide he had been seeing Zim as a ticket to gain recognition and attention?

He tried to avoid thinking about Gaz too much these days but there was one comment of hers she had continued making during that time that still stuck with him: “Why bother? The alien is too stupid to invade anything anyway.”

And hadn’t that been the core issue of the entire matter? Now, Gaz had gotten something wrong in her analysis of the situation, Zim wasn’t stupid. But doomed to never succeed in his mission anyway: It had been clear very early on that whatever support he would have needed from his home planet to invade earth hadn’t been given in an amount that would have been necessary, whoever was in charge reluctantly chugging along instead. Dib had realized that back early and yet hadn’t seen reason to adjust his own ambition.

More, judging from what he had heard today, the situation hadn’t improved: Whoever was serving as the superior of Zim seemed to no longer bother trying to interfere, but must have decided that keeping Zim occupied with pointless tasks like the endless gathering of information was the more efficient way to keep him busy and out of the way of things.

And judging from his discouraged demeanour Zim had realized this as well, even though he probably was too stubborn and proud to admit the full facts of the situation to himself. But then, Zim’s pride was one of the things Dib had always found fascinating about him, this reluctance to give up but always finding the strength to continue. He would have liked to say that the two of them were similar in that matter, but maybe Dib had turned out more of a coward than he had ever wanted to be himself.

It was Desmond’s voice interrupting his ponderings. “But later you started getting along better?”

Dib straightened his back, adjusting his glasses. “During hi skool.”

“Well, and now the two of you met and are still getting along. Doesn’t sound that bad to me.” He had made no effort to hide that he was trying to sound encouraging.

Dib had to smile, despite himself. “Maybe you’re right.”

Desmond returned the smile, looking content. He opened the trashcan, throwing away the wrapper of his dessert: “I’d like to believe that in this case I am.”

He started walking out of the room, coming to a halt before crossing the threshold. Turning around the puzzlement on his face was clearly visible. “Wait. That still doesn’t explain why I being tall freaked him out.”

“Oh, that’s what I was actually trying to explain: The leaders of his cult were all very tall individuals themselves. So, to further strengthen their power, they came up with this bogus theory, stating the taller you were the more privilege you deserved.”

Understanding flared up behind Desmond’s eyes: “Oh.”

“Seeing tall people still manages to scare him, if the situation catches him by surprise. At times. I think.”

“Sounds plausible.”

“And you’ve seen him. He’s tiny. So, in the cult’s eyes, he’d deserve less privilege, just because of that.”

“I get it now. And tiny indeed. A petite little doll.” Desmond continued his way, ducking under the doorframe. “Take care of your Zim. Now that you have him back.”

Dib stayed silent, feeling a blush return to his face. But this time it wasn’t caused by the shame of an old memory. Honestly, if there was one downside of being roommates with someone you considered a good friend, then that they managed to figure out the things in your mind you hadn’t even planned telling them yet.

* * *

“I want to see Dib! I want to see Dib!”, GIR announced, running in circles with excitement.

“You can see him. The next time I meet up with him!”

“Yayyyy!”

GIR slowed down, in his excitement somehow possessing enough patience to approach the rabbit cage standing in the corner of the room more slowly: “Goldie my rabbit! Dib still remembers me! He passed along a greeting for me! And next time my master sees him I’m allowed to come along! Potato chips!”

Inside the cage the small black rabbit pointed up its ear, looking up at GIR. Despite the noise it didn’t seem alarmed. Maybe because it had learned that GIR in a good mood increased the chance of getting a surprise snack like a piece of apple.

Witnessing this scene Zim took his mobile phone out of the pocket of his jeans. The device now contained the phone number of the Dib, the one thing assuring there would be a next time to meet one another and to bring GIR along.

Also, there was still something to be done right now, Zim thought, starting to type out a message and sending it. Before he had driven off, the Dib has insisted for Zim to write him a text message once he had arrived back home, “so I know you’re alright”.

Thinking about it Zim felt his face getting hot. He couldn’t quite figure out why. Maybe some trace of today’s heat was still lingering in the building, yes, that might have been it. It certainly wasn’t because for the first time in ages Zim didn’t feel this soul-crushingly lonely. That would have been unworthy of an invader, no matter how sweet the gesture of the Dib-human had been.

Yes, it probably was only hot due to the lingering traces of this summer day’s heat.

* * *

The next time he saw the Dib, the heat wave had ended. The afternoon was slightly cloudy but not rainy, so they had decided to meet at the park and see from there on what they felt like doing next.

GIR went along as promised, getting a lemon soda at the little stall next to the duck pond that sold refreshments. And that hadn’t been all: Dib had gotten some sort of creamy chocolate-caramel dessert for GIR. GIR instantly wolfed it down, claiming it had been the best dessert he had ever eaten. Hearing this Dib started smiling, looking oddly relieved to hear the sentiment.

But more pleased than by the chocolate dessert, GIR looked to see Dib. Zim could sympathize, suddenly no longer caring if the sentiment was fitting for an invader or not. He had wanted to see Dib again and he would do it again, as long as he got the chance to do so.

* * *

Dib had lost count how many times they had been meeting up by now when Zim gave him The Letter. The envelope it was in was plain white, with nothing but Dib’s name standing on it, written in Zim’s handwriting. (It still looked just the way his handwriting had looked back in hi skool.)

“For me?”, Dib asked, suddenly feeling afraid to open it. Like he needed permission to do so.

Zim avoided his gaze, looking out of the front window of his CAR. “Well, there is standing your name on it, isn’t there?” His gaze stayed fixed on the building of Dib’s apartment block standing in front of them, refusing to meet Dib’s eyes.

Dib took out the letter, not yet unfolding it. “What is it?”

Absentmindedly Zim brushed his fingers through the bangs of his black wig, ordering them into place though they hadn’t been dishevelled to begin with. The hairstyle he used for his disguise was still the same he had worn during their time in skool. Dib decided that it suited him well, if he was honest he had always thought so.

Dib still didn’t dare opening the letter.

Zim took a deep sigh, starting to talk: “The letter. With it I’m requesting your company in joining me for a connection of romantic nature.”

Gripping the letter harder Dib stared at Zim, unable to turn away his gaze. Did that mean… Did that mean all these times they had met up, those times had actually been dates? Maybe he should have asked for clarification but he had felt afraid putting pressure on Zim, so in the end, Dib had always stayed silent. If it mattered the most Dib always stayed silent, that’s how it was, wasn’t it?

Dib unfolded the letter, slowly, trying to find the strength for starting to read it.

Zim turned his head, looking up at Dib: “Writing a letter is what Irkens do when they want asking someone to be their… how do you say on earth… when they want someone to be their boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever. We write the request into a letter.”

“That’s what humans sometimes to as well. Writing a letter”, Dib said, finally finding the strength to say some words.

“So, me writing a letter wasn’t a wrong thing to do?” Zim had tried to hide his doubt and had utterly failed at it. Hearing this kind of tone directed at him sent a painful jolt through Dib’s lungs.

“It wasn’t, no. Writing a letter is perfectly fine.”

Hearing the sentence, a tension fell away from Zim, the expression on his face turning more open.

A sentence having been directed at him some weeks ago entered Dib’s memory: “Look out for your Zim. Now that you have him back.”

Remembering this sentiment was easy, mainly because it hadn’t been coming out of a place of malice. But out of a place of affection.

Still, that comment had been spoken out such a long time ago already. During a time it hadn’t been granted at all Zim might return into his life as a constant.

Were Dib’s sentiments about the entire matter this obvious that everyone instantly saw? Who else already knew and had been trying to tell him?

His inability to face the obvious. Just like back then, when he had still clung to the dream of becoming a paranormal investigator, long after his intense interest for the subject had started to decline, not letting his dream go because doing so would have meant proving the people who had ridiculed Dib for his fascination with the matter right. Besides, it was all he’d had at the time, the subject of real science too boring to dive his mind into and no other interest managing to spark his imagination like the mystery of what was unknown and could only be speculated about. So he had clung to paranormal science until there had been no shred to cling on to anymore, leaving him empty from what had felt one day to another.

It really was a pity he was the kind of stubborn that made him reluctant to listen to advice directed at him. But then, how could he listen to any critique that wasn’t coming from a genuine place but out of malice? Since ever it had left Dib with nothing but the feeling of eternally being cornered and needing to look out for his own defence. But maybe this here was not too late. Zim was still sitting next to him in the CAR, hadn’t thrown Dib out and demanded him to get lost. Maybe it was not too late.

Dib started reading the letter. Like his name on the envelope, it was written in the familiar shape of Zim’s handwriting. The letter ended with a question. Dib instantly knew what his answer to it would be, voicing it out before he had decided that he wanted to do so.

Zim started smiling, the kind that was more visible around the eyes than on the mouth. It was then when Dib knew that his efforts hadn’t been too late: As long as only Zim was with him Dib would find a way to make things function. It’s what he needed to believe to stay sane, feeling the weight of the past collapse behind him, knowing he was left with only the amount of energy that allowed him to focus on the present. It was the only place where the echoes of events long past could no longer reach him.

Still clutching at the letter Dib felt the warmth of Zim’s hand taking his, tentatively steading his grip. Dib returned the gesture, tightening his own grip around Zim’s hand. For some reason his sight had gotten blurry, but as long as Zim was next to him, Dib was certain he would manage to not stumble anyway.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> It actually made me a bit sad to write a fic where Dib and Gaz are on such bad terms that they barely speak to each other anymore. I like Gaz and prefer timelines where her and Dib's bond becomes stronger. But seeing how strained their connection can be at times, I can easily see timelines where it gets worse instead of better. And looking at the rest of this fic, I decided this development was fitting in here best. 
> 
> Desmond is one of my regular OCs. For the sake of this fic I let him become Dib's roommate.
> 
> Writing this fic was fun; I got back into IZ recently and just needed to write something for this ship. Thank you for reading.


End file.
